Fertilizer

(Question)

Where do I buy fertilizer 3 1 2 or 3 1 3

(Answer)

We are not permitted to provide information about where to buy gardening products.  I suggest that you speak with someone at your local nursery to discuss the plants you will be fertilizing and the most appropriate fertilizer options for these plants.  Landscape Ontario has a list of retail garden centres, searchable by location.

Fertilizer labels show various ratios that indicate the proportion of the nutrients Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) (potassium is identified by its chemical symbol) in each product. Here, you are asking about fertilizers with an NPK ratio of 3-1-2 and 3-1-3 – e.g., you want a product that contains 3 times more Nitrogen than Phosphorus.  For example, the 3-1-2 ratio could be achieved using an 18-6-12 or 9-3-6 product (or a product that contains the NPK numbers in the same ratio). A word of caution: note that the 18-6-12 product contains double the amount of nutrients as the 9-3-6 product per given weight.  So in order to make a fertilizer solution that is the same strength, you would only need to use half as much of the 18-6-12 product.

See Ask a Master Gardener Spring Fertilizer  for an earlier response to a question about fertilizers, which provides an overview including how each of the three elements contributes to plant growth.  This response also advises that different fertilizer concentrations may be selected depending on the plants you are planning to fertilize (e.g., lawns versus perennials versus roses).

All the best in finding the appropriate fertilizer for your gardening needs.

March 28 2021